Study Suggests, Marmot Hibernation May Reveal, the Secret to Anti-Aging.
A new study suggests that hibernating yellow-bellied marmots may hold the key to slowing the aging process.
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'Smithsonian' magazine reports that when marmots emerge after hibernating, they are biologically the same age as they were eight months earlier.
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According to 'Discover,' the anti-aging abilities of marmots could be linked to metabolic changes that occur while they are hibernating.
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According to 'Discover,' the anti-aging abilities of marmots could be linked to metabolic changes that occur while they are hibernating.
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On average, yellow-bellied marmots live for about 15 years, longer than most rodents of a similar size.
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73 blood samples were gathered from female marmots across 14 summers.
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The team then measured epigenetic markers - natural alterations in DNA that develop during the process of aging.
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The team then measured epigenetic markers - natural alterations in DNA that develop during the process of aging.
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According to 'Smithsonian,' marmots undergo metabolic suppression while hibernating.
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This means that their temperature drops to just above freezing, and they lose approximately one gram of body fat per day.
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Earth.com reports that the study could lead to a number of interesting new technologies.
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In the medical field, the discovery could help doctors preserve organs for transplantation.
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The results of the study could also help NASA discover ways to mimic hibernations for use in long-term spaceflight missions.
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The results of the study could also help NASA discover ways to mimic hibernations for use in long-term spaceflight missions.
